Armitstead Lectures 2015
Published On Mon 12 Oct 2015 by Grant Hill
The 128th series of Armitstead Lectures will begin at the University of Dundee this week when local historian Dr Norman Watson examines the history of the city’s revered publishers DC Thomson & Co.
This year’s inaugural event takes place at 7.30pm on Friday, 16th October at the Dalhousie Building, Old Hawkhill, and will be followed by a further five talks in consecutive weeks.
Dr Watson is a journalist with The Courier newspaper in Dundee and the author of several books on Scottish history. He is regarded as one of Scotland’s foremost experts on women’s history.
Armitstead Trust Secretary George Hay, said, “Over the years most people in Dundee and Tayside will have fond memories of DC Thomson’s publications, be it the Courier, comics, Scots Magazine or People’s Friend. Norman Watson will provide an intriguing behind the scenes look at this illustrious the company’s history from the outset to the present day which should have huge appeal to all generations.”
The Armitstead Lecture series is named after George Armitstead. Born in Latvia, he was educated in Germany before settling in Dundee. There, he developed his father's trading firm and married into the influential Baxter textile family.
Armitstead became extremely wealthy and influential, twice being elected as a Liberal MP and becoming a close friend of then-Prime Minister Gladstone. He donated money to a wide range of charitable organisations and also established the Armitstead Illustrated Lectures, which continue today 128 years after they began.
The Armitstead Trustees seek to carry out the aims of the founder, who wished to improve the breadth and depth of knowledge of the people who live in the Dundee area and entertain them in the process. The Trustees offer a programme of lectures each autumn in Dundee to carry on the tradition initiated by Armitstead.
Other events in the 2015 series are:
- 23rd October – Behind the Doors of the Stores: An overview of the City’s Art Collection (Anna Robertson)
- 30th October – Powerful Persuaders…. How Others Target Your Brain (Rosemary Anderson)
- 6th October – Leisure & Culture in Dundee (Stewart Murdoch)
- 13th November – After Scott: the further Antarctic voyages of RRS Discovery (Brian Kelly)
- 20th November – Early Films – Then and Now (Brian Hoyle)
There will be a short opportunity for questions after each lecture, and tickets for all six events can be bought for just £5 from Henderson Loggie CA, Vision Building, Greenmarket, while admission for a single lecture cost £1.50 at the door on the evening.
More information about the Armitstead Lectures can be found at www.armitstead.org.uk.
For media enquiries contact:
Grant Hill
Press Officer
University of Dundee
Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4HN
Tel: +44 (0)1382 384768
Mobile: 07854 953277
Email: g.hill@dundee.ac.uk